Single knife capping machine

ABSTRACT

A capping machine, comprising a depressing member, a cap pressing device connected to the depressing member, a supporting device, a transmission device, a first driving wheel, a second driving wheel, and an actuating wheel, wherein the first driving wheel is rotatably connected to the depressing member, wherein the depressing member comprises a driver member, while the cap pressing device comprises a driver ring, wherein the driver member is received in the driver ring, wherein the depressing member is engaged with the first driving wheel such that the first driving wheel is arranged to drive the depressing member and the cap pressing device in a vertical direction, wherein the depressing member is driven to rotate by the transmission device, while the supporting device is also rotatably connected to the transmission device so as to rotate with the depressing member in a synchronized manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a capping device, and more particularlyto a single knife capping device which is capable of making a widevariety of sealing caps, such as those used in pharmaceutical or foodindustry.

2. Description of Related Arts

A conventional capping machine usually comprises a sealing device, aknife assembly, a supporting device, a transmission device, a dynamicswheel assembly, and a driving wheel. Before the capping machine isoperated, a predetermined cap is placed on an opening of a bottle. Thedriving wheel is then arranged to move the bottle and the cap to aposition underneath the sealing device and on top of the supportingdevice. When the capping machine operates, the supporting device movesthe bottle and the cap toward the sealing device, which is arranged torotatably engage with the cap so as to drive the cap to rotate withrespect to the bottle. At the same time, the knife assembly is driven bythe dynamics wheel assembly to move toward the sealing device forpressing against the cap and the bottle so as to tighten the engagementbetween the cap and the bottle. The knife assembly and the supportingdevice are then moved back to their original position for completing apressing cycle. An advantage of this type of conventional cappingmachine is that it has simple structure. However, a major disadvantageis that the sealing performance is rather unstable, especially when afriction between the cap and the bottle is not sufficiently largeenough. Moreover, when the supporting member moves the bottle upwardlytoward the sealing device, the cap may fall off the bottle very easily.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The invention is advantageous in that it provides a capping machinewhich is simple in structure, stable when operating and is capable ofperforming high quality capping procedures.

According to the present invention, the foregoing and other objects andadvantages are attained by providing a capping machine, comprising adepressing member, a cap pressing device connected to the depressingmember, a supporting device, a transmission device, a first drivingwheel, a second driving wheel, and an actuating wheel, wherein the firstdriving wheel is rotatably connected to the depressing member, whereinthe depressing member comprises a driver member, while the cap pressingdevice comprises a driver ring, wherein the driver member is received inthe driver ring, wherein the depressing member is engaged with the firstdriving wheel such that the first driving wheel is arranged to drive thedepressing member and the cap pressing device in a vertical direction,wherein the depressing member is driven to rotate by the transmissiondevice, while the supporting device is also rotatably connected to thetransmission device so as to rotate with the depressing member in asynchronized manner.

The capping machine further comprises an auxiliary ring movably mountedon the cap pressing device, a gear assembly mounted on the cap pressingdevice at a position underneath the auxiliary ring, and a resilientelement mounted between the auxiliary ring and the gear assembly fornormally exerting an upward force to the cap pressing device.

The present invention has the following advantages over conventionalarts:

-   -   1. The capping machine of the present invention is simple in        structure, stable in operation and is capable of producing high        quality performance. The engagement between the bottle cover and        the bottle is of very high quality and has very good aesthetic        appearance.    -   2. In the present invention, the supporting device is also        rotatably connected to the transmission device so as to rotate        with the depressing member in a synchronized manner. This        substantially resolves the problem of uneven capping of bottle        which exists in conventional arts. Still further objects and        advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the        ensuing description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a capping machine according to apreferred embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of numerals:  1. Depressing member  2. Cap pressing device 3. Supporting device  4. Transmission device  5. First driving wheel 6. Second driving wheel  7. Driver member  8. Driver ring  9. Auxiliaryring 10. Gear assembly 11. Resilient element 12. First driving arm 13.Second driving arm 14. Pressing knife 15. Depressing head 16. Actuatingwheel

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a capping machine according to apreferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, in whichthe capping machine comprises a main frame, a depressing member 1, a cappressing device 2 connected to the depressing member 1, a supportingdevice 3, a transmission device 4, a first driving wheel 5, a seconddriving wheel 6, and an actuating wheel 16. The first driving wheel 5 ismounted on the main frame, and is rotatably connected to the depressingmember 1. The depressing member 1 comprises a driver member 7, while thecap pressing device 2 comprises a driver ring 8, wherein the drivermember 7 is received in the driver ring 8. The depressing member 1 isengaged with the first driving wheel 5 such that the first driving wheel5 is arranged to drive the depressing member 1 and the cap pressingdevice 2 in a vertical direction with respect to the main frame.Moreover, the depressing member 1 is driven to rotate by thetransmission device 4. The capping machine further comprises a firstdriving arm 12 connecting between the cap pressing device 2 and thesecond driving wheel 6, a second driving arm 13 provided at a lower endportion of the cap pressing device 2, and a pressing knife 14 mounted tothe second driving arm 13, wherein the cap pressing device 2 is drivento move by the second driving wheel 6 so as to drive the second drivingarm 13 and the pressing knife 14 to move towards or away from thedepressing member 1. On the other hand, the supporting device 3 is alsorotatably connected to the transmission device 4 so as to rotate withthe depressing member 1 in a synchronized manner.

There may exist a gap between the driver member 7 and the driver ring 8.The capping machine further comprises an auxiliary ring 9 movablymounted on the cap pressing device 2, a gear assembly 10 mounted on thecap pressing device 2 at a position underneath the auxiliary ring 9, aresilient element 11 mounted between the auxiliary ring 9 and the gearassembly 10 for normally exerting an upward force to the cap pressingdevice 2. Moreover, the resilient element 11 can also be used tominimize the gap between the driver member 7 and the driver ring 8. Whenthe cap pressing device 2 is driven to move downwardly, the drivermember 7 and the driver ring 8 ensure a relatively constant distancebetween the pressing knife and a depressing head 15 of the depressingmember 1. This enables consistent pressing performance of the cappingmachine of the present invention.

The capping machine of the present invention operates as follows: thecapping machine is for sealing a bottle by a predetermined bottle cap.The bottle and the bottle cap are arranged to be placed in between thedepressing head 15 and the supporting device 3. The depressing member 1is then driven to move downwardly along the main frame by the firstdriving wheel 5. As such the bottle and the bottle cap are sandwichedbetween the depressing member 1 and the supporting device 3. At the sametime, the depressing member 1 and the supporting device 3 are driven torotate in a synchronized manner. The depressing head 15 is arranged tobias against the bottle cap while the cap pressing device 2 is alsodriven to move downwardly as guided by the driver member 7 and thedriver ring 8. At the same time, the pressing knife 14 is driven to movehorizontally by the second driving wheel 6 to press against an engagingportion between the bottle cap and the bottle for sealing the bottle bythe bottle cap. After the sealing of the bottle is accomplished, thepressing knife 14 is driven to move away from the bottle cap by thesecond driving wheel 6, while the depressing member 1 and the cappressing device 2 are moved upwardly to release the pressing verticalpressing force against the bottle and the bottle cap. This completes onepressing cycle. From the above-mentioned operation, it can beappreciated that the bottle will be evenly sealed by the bottle cover.Moreover, since the depressing member 1 and the supporting device 3 arealigned with each other, the bottle cap will engage with the bottle in asmooth and tight manner. This provides a stable, desirable and reliabletechnical effect of the present invention.

One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of thepresent invention as shown in the drawings and described above isexemplary only and not intended to be limiting. It will thus be seenthat the objects of the present invention have been fully andeffectively accomplished. The embodiments have been shown and describedfor the purpose of illustrating the functional and structural principlesof the present invention and is subject to change without departure fromsuch principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modificationsencompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

1. A capping machine, comprising a depressing member, a cap pressingdevice connected to said depressing member, a supporting device, atransmission device, a first driving wheel, a second driving wheel, andan actuating wheel, wherein said first driving wheel is rotatablyconnected to said depressing member, wherein said depressing membercomprises a driver member, while said cap pressing device comprises adriver ring, wherein said driver member is received in said driver ring,wherein said depressing member is engaged with said first driving wheelsuch that said first driving wheel is arranged to drive said depressingmember and said cap pressing device in a vertical direction, whereinsaid depressing member is driven to rotate by said transmission device,while said supporting device is also rotatably connected to saidtransmission device so as to rotate with said depressing member in asynchronized manner.
 2. The capping machine, as recited in claim 1,further comprising an auxiliary ring movably mounted on said cappressing device, a gear assembly mounted on said cap pressing device ata position underneath said auxiliary ring, and a resilient elementmounted between said auxiliary ring and said gear assembly for normallyexerting an upward force to said cap pressing device.